Mormon History, Jul 8, 1844

-- Jul 8, 1844
Brigham Young, in Salem, Massachusetts, writes to Willard Richards, "Give my best love to Brothers Joseph and Hyrum. I cannot be there to see them, but I pray for them continually." (1)

[Nauvoo Temple] Workmen resume working on the temple. (2)

-- Jul 8, 1844 (Monday)
Apostle Parley P. Pratt arrived at Nauvoo; he was the first of the absent Twelve to return. (3)

-- Jul 8, 1844, Monday
[William Clayton Writings] Monday 8th At the Temple all day. Emma came up ... She also objected to the conclusion of the council last evening & says here must be a Trustee appointed this week on account of the situation of business. (4)

[William Clayton Writings] On the 8th of July the laborers resumed their work, although the committee had not so much as a bushel of meal, nor a pound of flour, nor a pound of meat to feed the hands with; but all seemed determined to go to work and trust in God for the means. (4)

-- Jul 9, 1844
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] July 9th 1844 I left Scarboro in the morning in company with Father Carter & Elder M. Holmes & rode to Portland, & dined with Ezra Carter & made preperations to take the steam boat in the evening for Thomastown & fox Islands.

But about 2 oclok P.M. We obtained the Boston Times of July 9th Containing the solumn & awful information of the Death of President Joseph Smith the Prophet Seer & Revelator of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Also the Death of Hiram Smith his brother the Patriarch of Said Church. They were shot dead in Cartha[ge] jail by a company of anti mormons & a guard that Governor Ford placed over them /200 men American citizens painted like indians/.

Great excitement Prevailed & it was expected that the Nauvoo Legion would be exasperated & avenge their Blood, by rushing to battle against the Govonor & his guard that was camped 7 miles from Nauvoo & also against Carthage & Warsaw & the whole Country was rushing to arms & could not tell whare it would stop. The families of warsaw had gone to Quincy. The bells of the town were ringing & men were Called to arms, but where the end would be time alone must detirmin. The foregoing items I draw from the papers. We shall look for terrible accounts each day untill the Close of the Seene

We also recieved a hand bill in the evening Concerning the mob war excitement &c in philadelphia which was tremendious. In fact the nation seems to be ripe for Judgment.

I spent the night with Sister Foss. I lade hands upon her & asked the Lord to Bless her. She felt Sorrowful about affairs in the west. Felt anxious about Phebe and the Children. My prayer is that God will prepare our minds for the worst & that we may maintain our integrity untill death, that we may overcome as Jesus has overcome.

I took out the letter from Portland P.O. that I sent to Mrs Woodruff on the 8th & Br Elbridge Tufts wrote to his Brother in Law Nathan Pinkham of Quincy Ill. to take his family in Charge if they were breaking up & removeing from Nauvoo. I also requested him to take Charge of my family if they needed the favor. He keeps tavern by the side of the quincy house. Distance of the day 20 miles. (5)

[Brigham Young] --9-- I heard today, for the first time, the rumors concerning the death of Joseph and Hyrum [Smith]. (6)

Brigham Young (in the East) hears rumors of Joseph and Hyrum's murder [per Brigham Young]. (7)

[Nauvoo Temple] In a letter to the Saints in Great Britain, describing the death of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith, Willard Richards and John Taylor wrote that "The murder of Joseph will not stop the work; it will not stop the Temple." (2)

[Wilford Woodruff] Learns of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, which occurred on June 27. (8)

-- Jul 10, 1844
[Brigham Young] --10-- Elder O. [Orson] Pratt and I went to Lowell. (6)

Samuel Williams, commanding officer of the Carthage Greys, writes a letter describing the happenings at Carthage jail. Williams says that when Joseph first arrived in Carthage and met with such an ugly reception, he "actually fainted." THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH denies a rumor that he had "fainted three times." but this may be consistent with him fainting once. (1)

Parley Parker Pratt: Arrived in Nauvoo 10 July 1844, after Prophets death. (9)


Footnotes:
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
2 - Brown, Lisle (compiler), Chronology of the Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple
3 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
4 - Fillerup, Robert C., compiler; William Clayton Nauvoo Diaries and Personal Writings, A chronological compilation of the personal writings of William Clayton while he was a resident of Nauvoo, Illinois. http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/clayton-diaries
5 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
6 - Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1801-1844, ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City: Smith Secretarial Service, 1968).
7 - Tidd, N. R., "Mormon Chronology"
8 - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, Salt Lake City, Utah
9 - Cook, Lyndon W., The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, Seventy's Mission Bookstore, Provo UT, 1985, http://amzn.to/RevelationsofJosephSmith


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